Lifter.



No. 803,428. PATENTED 00T. 3l, 1905. P. NEDDO.

LIPTER.

APPLIoATIoN rum Nov. 1. 1904.

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@mimmo artour-m UNITED STATES PHILIP NEDDO, OF BARRE, VERMONT.

LIFTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application led November 1, 1904. Serial No. 231,030.

To all whom, it nuty concern.-

Beit known that I, PHILIP NEDDO, a citi? zen of the United States, residing at Barre, in the county of Washington and State of Vermont, have invented new and useful Improvenients in Lifters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lifters; and its primary object is to provide a device of this character by means of which cans, small boxes, packages, and the like articles may be easily and safely lifted from and replaced upon shelves situated out of reach.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lifter wherein the arms or grasping members are adapted to be positively closed and locked about an article, whereby allV liability of the article being accidentally dropped is obviated.

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide a lifter which is cheap to manufacture and which is composed of few parts so arranged and constructed as not to be liable to become broken or inoperative.

The invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- 1n'- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lifter constructedin accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of one of the arms or grasping members and a fragmentary portion of the operating or rack bar.

Referring to the drawings by referencenumerals, 1 designates a handle, preferably hollow throughout its entire length and con# structed of some light metal. This handle may be constructed of a single section of any desired length or it may be constructed of sections adapted to telescope into each other, whereby it may be adjusted to permit of articles being' more readily lifted from shelves of dierent heights. A head 2 is adapted to be secured in the upper end of the handle 1 and is designed to carry a pair of arms or grasping-bars 3, the latter being adapted to be moved toward and away from each other to either grasp or release the article. The head is preferably constructed from light Inetal and ares outwardly from a point at its base. Secured to the base of the head is a depending tube 4, adapted to be. received by the handle and securely held in place by any suitable means. The upper end of the head is provided with a horizontally-disposed slot 5, extendinglongitudinally therethrough, communicating with the interior of the head, which is hollow and which communicates with the tube 4. The arms or grasping-bars 3 are provided with enlarged portions 6, having openings 7, through which bolts or other fastening means 8 pass to pivotally secure them within the slot 5 of the head 2. The arms or grasping-bars 3 are slightly curved upwardly and outwardly from the portions 6 to dispose them in alinement with each other, and they are curved in reverse directions in order that they may conform to the contour of the article to be grasped therebetween. The portions 6 are provided with teeth 18, adapted to be engaged by the teeth of a rack-bar 9, the latter being slidably mounted within the head 2. The lower end of the rack-bar is secured to an operating-bar 10, which passes out through a slot 11 in the handle 1 and has its opposite end secured to a horizontally-disposed portion 12 of anl elbow 13, which is fulcrumed upon an oifset 14', formed integral with the handle 1. The vertically-disposed portion 14 of the elbow-lever 13 extends downwardly in approximately parallel relation with the lower portion of the handle 1, and by means of which the lever may be moved upon its fulcrum to move the arms 3 toward each other. A stop 15 is situated within the upper portion of the handle 1, and interposed between said stop and the lower end of the rackbar 9 is a compressible spring 16, which normally retains the arms separated. This stop is provided with a central opening, through which the operating-bar passes.

The operation of the device may be stated as follows: When it is desired to remove an article from or place one upon a shelf, the device is held in one hand and operated through virtue of the lever 13 by the other hand. The spring 16 normally projects or keeps the rackbar moved upward through virtue of its contact with the lower end of said rack-bar, consequently normally retaining the arms or grasping-bars 3 separated or in position to be placed about an article. When the arms have been placed about the articles to be removed from or placed upon a shelf, the lever 13 is turned upon its fulcrum through virtue of the member 14 to cause the rack-bar 9 to move downward, which movement of the rack-bar causes the arms 3 to move toward each other to clasp the articles therebetween. After the article has been properly placed upon the IOO IIO

shelf or when it is desired to release the article from the grasp of the arms 3 the pressure exerted on the member 14. is released, and the spring 16 is then free to cause the rack-bar to move upward and separate the y arms 3.

It is apparent from the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, that I provide a lifter by means of which an article may be readily and quickly placed upon or removed from a shelf and that the same is cheap of construction` durable, and eiilcient.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is-,

l. In a lifter of the character described, a handle, arms pivotally secured to said handle, said arms being provided with ratchet-teeth, a rack-bar adapted to mesh with said ratchetteeth, means for normally retaining said bar projected to retain the arms separated, and means for moving said rack-bar downward to cause said arms to move toward each other to clasp an article therebetween.

2. In a lifter of the character described, a handle, arms pivotally secured thereto, said arms being" provided with ratchetteeth,a rack bar adapted to mesh with said ratchet-teeth, a lever pivotally secured to said handle, and a rod connecting said rack-bar and lever, and means adapted to normally retain said rackbar projected to normally retain the arms separated.

3. In a lifter of the character described, a hollow handle, a hollow head secured to said handle, arms pivotally secured to said head and provided with ratchet-teeth, a rack-bar slidably mounted within said head and adapted to mesh with said ratchet-teeth, a stop located within said handle, a lever pivotally secured to said handle, an operating-rod adapted to pass through said stop and having its ends connected to the rack-bar and said lever, and a spring interposed between said rackbar and said stop.

In testimony whereof I aihx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP NEDDO.v

Witnesses:

ALBERT A. SARGENT, WILLIAM H. EAGER. 

